Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this study was to assess the progression of radiological cartilage changes and to document the functional, long-term results during a follow-up of 10 years after osteoautograft transplantation (OAT) knee surgery.

Methods

The study was a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent OAT at Turku University Hospital from 1999 to 2007. Pre- and postoperative cartilage changes were estimated based on standardised radiographs. The extent of osteoarthritis (OA) was graded according to the Kellgren–Lawrence scale. Clinical outcomes were evaluated with the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) questionnaire.

Conclusions

OAT surgery for treating patients with cartilage defects of the knee had good clinical results after a mean follow-up of 11 years. Radiological analyses revealed a progression of cartilage degeneration in 50% of the operated knees. Patients with no progression of the degenerative changes scored statistically significantly better on the KOOS self-assessment test. These results indicate that OAT surgery appears to be a reasonable therapeutic option to restore knee function in patients with cartilage lesions.

Level of evidence

IV.

Keywords

Notes

Author contributions

AI designed and coordinated the study and helped to draft the manuscript. EE collected the data, drafted the manuscript and studied the patients’ X-rays. IK studied the patients’ X-rays and MRIs. KM, AH, AI and EE contributed to the interpretation of the data and results and to the preparation of the manuscript. All the authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Funding

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Compliance with ethical standards

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

Ethical approval

Regional Ethical Review Board approval was obtained from the Regional Ethical Review Board in Turku (Dnro TO1/003/14) prior to initiation of this study.